


Max the Matchmaker

by ItsaVikingThing, Lola_McGee



Series: Ambers Anonymous [5]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: All at once sometimes?, F/F, Fluff, Humour, Hurt/Comfort, Max works through some things, Questions on the suitability of hugs in certain contexts, Victoria being helpful, Victoria being subtle about her crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-01-12
Packaged: 2019-02-17 16:16:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13080600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsaVikingThing/pseuds/ItsaVikingThing, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lola_McGee/pseuds/Lola_McGee
Summary: Max is still getting to grips with life in Blackwell and unsure how to deal with her feelings for Rachel. But Max has friends who want to help her.One of them is, shockingly, Victoria Chase. Who seems unusually determined to have a conversation with Max. Aniceconversation...





	Max the Matchmaker

Max is running late.

It's her default state in school. No matter how hard she tries to be organised, time has a habit of getting away from her.

It maybe has something to do with her guiding principle when it comes to the snooze button: how bad could it be to press it one more time?

In this case, it means she has to stagger out of bed, trip over her bag, grab her shower supplies, hustle down the hall waving a quick hello to a beaming Dana, take a quick shower, rush back up the hall with shampoo still in her hair waving a quick hello to the immaculate Kate, hurriedly throw on the first clothes that come to hand, forget that she needs socks, thrust a haphazard assortment of probably the wrong text books into her bag, remember that she needs socks, and then put on a pair so mismatched they constitute odd _est_.

She slips a yellow Pikachu sock onto her left foot, glumly certain that the matching sock is in her laundry bag. On her right foot she puts a pink sock with a huddle of cheerful blue penguins on them. Max is pretty sure she's never seen it before in her life and that she only has this one, somehow.

Max checks the time on her phone, dies of shame slightly, sees messages from Chloe and Rachel, and decides to read them in class so that she isn't late for class.

Max hasn't adjusted to life at Blackwell yet, or found entirely solid ground with either Rachel or Chloe, but she's had so little spare time lately that she hasn't been able to have a nice, quiet panic attack about everything either.

So there's that.

Max is still trying to towel the shampoo out of her hair when she opens her door. She flings her towel onto her bed, darts out into the hall, and freezes at the sight of Victoria Chase loitering in front of her. 

Victoria is usually scrupulous in her timekeeping. In the entire week of their Blackwell association, Max has never seen her just...hanging around.

Victoria glares at Max and snaps, "You're late!"

"I...know? And good morning, Vi-"

"You're making _me_ late!" 

Closer inspection of Victoria reveals slightly bloodshot eyes and a hunched, closed-off stance quite at odds with the confidence Victoria normally projects.

Max says, "How am I making _you_ late?" Max abruptly remembers all the times she's zoned out in class already. "Uh...were we paired up for a project?"

Victoria narrows her eyes. "No. You would know if we were. Which we won't be. If God has His shit in any way together." Victoria winces. "Forget that last bit."

"Uh...okay? So...?"

"I'm walking you to class." Victoria pulls herself upright, glaring down at Max. "And we're going to have a conversation."

Max considers this, trying to understand the trap. Max and Victoria have achieved a cordial relationship by virtue of barely speaking since the incident Rachel's been referring to as 'The Mystery of the Missing Phone.' But...Victoria isn't as bad as she appears.

Max thinks.

Probably.

It doesn't matter, Max decides, why Victoria is behaving like this. If they don't get moving, they're going to be tardy. Max takes a step down the hall, gesturing vaguely at Victoria. "Okay...?"

Victoria's glare intensifies. She gets into Max's space, towering over her. "We're going to have a _nice_ conversation, Max. Understand?"

Max shrinks back and says, "Um...n-not really?"

Victoria rolls her eyes. "Just get moving and don't make small talk! Make...medium talk. And be...nice."

Victoria takes off at a rapid pace. Max sighs and jogs after her.

Victoria waits until they're out in the warm morning air before she begins their nice conversation. "So...how are you and Rachel? Are you back together? Getting back together? Don't give me gross details, just yes or no answers."

Max flushes, trying to work out what to be most indignant about out of the many options. "Victoria! I'm not going to-"

Victoria whirls on her. "Yes or no, Max! It's a simple fucking question!"

Max yells, "NO!"

It shocks both of them.

Victoria recovers first, but there's a hint of red on her cheeks and a cautious note in her voice when she asks, "So...you're not getting back together...?"

"I mean it's not a simple fucking question, okay? It's my fucking _life_ , Victoria. And I like Rachel! So much! But...I don't trust that feeling, because there're things about Rachel that make me nervous, too! And she's trying so hard to...fix things and to...win me over and I don't know how to take her half the time, because mostly I think she just feels bad because she broke my trust into a million tiny pieces and there's been so much going on and I'm trying to figure things out and do you know what, Victoria?"

Victoria blinks. "Uh...we should really get-"

"Dana seems nice, and I like her, but she's been asking me about Rachel. Juliet said hello when I met her for the first time, _after_ she asked me about whether I'm dating Rachel. All week, I've had people asking me about my relationship with Rachel! And I hate it and I don't even _know_ what the answer is! And I'm...I'm fucking done, okay?"

Max trails off, sniffling and cuffing at the oh so predictable tears that have been building up all week and that she really doesn't want to be shedding in front of Victoria.

So Max runs. It's something she's developing a real talent for, and even if it's mainly because Victoria doesn't chase her, Max makes it to Blackwell's main building alone.

* * *

Max discovers the truth in the old adage: she can run from Victoria, but she can't hide from her while crying in a graffitied bathroom stall.

When the door to the toilet opens, Max tries to stifle her tears and hopes that Victoria's gone directly to class. But, no. 

Victoria says, "Max?" She knocks on the stall door with something approaching gentleness. "Open the door. Unless you're, uh, you can't. Don't be gross. I mean...talk to me, Max."

Max groans and tries to get herself under control. "W-would you like s-small or meh-medium talk, Victoria?"

There's a pause. Max hopes Victoria will leave now, even if she supposes it'll mean vengeance later.

At length Victoria says, softly, "Rachel likes you. I've never seen her this...messed up before. She cares about you, Max. Okay? You can stop crying now."

Max laughs a watery, gurgling laugh, hating herself and her tears. "R-right! Problem solved! You can go to class! Th-thanks!"

There's another pause. Max hears the bathroom door open, and feels hope mixed with a tiny frisson of disappointment. 

But then a girl's voice she doesn't recognise says, "Oh! Uh, is everything okay in here?"

Max cringes. Another witness to her meltdown...

Victoria says, in a tone of voice that sounds like the sonic equivalent of a piece of modern art carved out of ice with a chainsaw, "Would you like a written invitation to fuck off or will a verbal one do? Get. Out. Then stand outside and make sure no one else comes in until I'm done. Good girl!"

The bathroom door closes again, silencing the beginning of the other girl's terrified whimper.

Shock cuts off the water supply to Max's tear ducts. She cautiously blows her nose and wipes her eyes on the sleeve of her hoodie. "Uh...wow..."

"See, Max? I can be nice!"

"Um...sure...?" Max wonders how the other girl is doing.

"Are you going to open the door or what?" Victoria sounds peevish, like she knows what Max is thinking.

Max sighs. "Okay." She blows her nose again before she opens the door.

Victoria is standing beside the sinks, watching her with what could almost be mistaken for an anxious expression on her face. "Feeling better?"

Max shakes her head wearily. "Victoria...I know you're trying, but...I don't know...this cry's kinda been coming on for a while? I've just been feeling really...overwhelmed. Coming back to Arcadia Bay, being at Blackwell, seeing Chloe...it's a lot. And then everything with Rachel..."

Max washes her face, trying to undo some of the damage the tears have caused.

Victoria frowns and shifts her weight impatiently. "I don't get the problem. You like Rachel. She likes you. It should be simple."

Max gapes at her. "Victoria..." She sighs. "It's not one thing. It's _everything_. I'm attracted to her, like...a lot." Max blushes and shakes her head. "And I...I love how impulsive she is. But it scares me, too. Because it feels like nothing about Rachel is...safe. And the thing is, she's so...much! She's so easy to go along with! I get swept up when I'm around her, Victoria. Which is how I ended up stealing your phone, and your prosecco-"

"That lying bitch, I knew she still had it! I mean, uh...go on?"

Max sighs. "When I'm with her, I think she's worth the risk of her hurting me again. And I can _see_ how hard she's trying...but other times...I don't know."

Max stares at herself in the mirror. She sees an awkward, thin girl with messy brown hair, bloodshot blue eyes and too many freckles. Victoria stands beside her, following the direction of Max's gaze. Her eyes narrow but she doesn't say anything.

Max shrugs. "I'm not...comfortable with all the attention, either. I don't want to be Rachel's significant other. Or Rachel's ex. Or Rachel's anything. I want to be me." Max adds, in a mutter, "When I work out who that is."

"So...what does Rachel want?"

Max blinks. "Uh...I don't-"

"What, you didn't think to ask?" Victoria rolls her eyes. "Has she lied to you since you've got here?"

"I...don't think so...she's-"

Victoria claps her hands together three times in an excruciatingly slow and loud round of applause. "Rachel not lying about something for a week? That's a fucking miracle, Max."

The toilet door opens. A nervous girl with auburn hair wearing a green blazer peers at them. "Um...was that the signal, or...?"

Victoria clicks her fingers. " _That's_ the signal. For you to get out. The signal for you to interrupt me again will be when hell freezes over."

"Oh...um, it's just that I _really_ need to-"

Victoria clicks her fingers. The girl winces and retreats.

Max grabs her bag out of the stall. "Come on, that poor girl-"

"Is fine! And we're not done. First: forget I mentioned hell. Second: maybe ask Rachel what she wants? And maybe figure out if the two of you both want something you can live with? Before you just give up and retreat into your hipster cave and hug your fucking pillow and listen to your weepy indie bullshit and sob over how nothing ever goes your way because your life is _sooo_ hard."

Max's face heats up and her fists clench and her stomach tightens and she doesn't know how much of what she's feeling is anger at what Victoria's saying and how much is shame at how right Victoria is. "Look, Victoria-"

"No, you _listen_." Victoria jabs a finger into Max's chest. "Ask yourself this: why do you give a shit about what anybody else around here thinks? There are people here who would do frankly degrading shit just to be seen dating Rachel Amber. You're not one of them. You actually care about her. That's what...ugh! You can work out the rest. I'm getting a fucking migraine..."

Victoria turns away, grumbling, and reaches for her phone.

Max, her body moving before her brain has time to understand what its intentions are, and veto the plan over self-preservation concerns, reaches out and grabs Victoria's wrist.

Victoria stares at Max's hand. She raises her eyes and stares at Max, somehow managing both to raise an eyebrow and ratchet up her scowl several notches.

Max swallows and carefully releases her. "Uh...just...thanks. That...that actually makes a lot of sense. Though it's a little unexpected? I thought you cared about social standing and other people's opinions and stuff..."

"A point of etiquette, Max? Try not to sound so fucking surprised that you got excellent advice when you're supposedly thanking someone for their excellent advice." Victoria sniffs. "And I do care about social standing. Because I have it. _You've_ got absolutely nothing to lose, though. So why worry?"

Max rolls her eyes. "Thanks, Victoria..."

"C'est rien! Now! I'm going to class. You're going to wait two minutes and...do whatever."

Max laughs, surprising both of them. "Okay, Victoria. I wouldn't want to ruin your social standing. But...wait, didn't you want to be seen with me earlier?"

Victoria flushes. "N-no! I was just...making conversation. On the way to class. For no reason. What reason would I have? It's just...because...we're..."

"Friends?" Max asks, softly.

"Oh, god! Caulfield..." Victoria grimaces. "I...guess. Maybe. If you don't make me regret it."

Max grins and opens her arms. "Hug, then?"

Victoria recoils. "Ew, _no_! Fucking regretting it already! I'm leaving!"

And she does, turning on her heel and storming out of the toilet leaving Max with a lot to think about and a relieved girl with auburn hair some much needed access to the cubicles.

* * *

Max is pretty late by the time she gets to class but receives no worse a punishment than Mrs Hoida's disappointed face. That's enough to haunt Max for the rest of her life, of course, but at least it isn't a detention.

Max shuffles past her classmates and their curious, judging eyes and sinks, red faced, into her seat at the back of the class. Victoria ignores her entirely throughout this ordeal which lasts a little less than a minute and a lot more than long enough.

There is one gleaming oasis in this desert of public shame and that's the girl Max is sitting beside, Kate Marsh. Kate's new to Blackwell and Arcadia Bay and she's shy, but she's also sweet and quietly charming. Max honestly isn't sure how two of the more socially awkward people in the school managed to hit it off immediately, but Max is grateful for Kate's uncomplicated friendship.

Kate offers Max a warm smile when she sinks into her seat and tilts her jotter so that Max can see her notes from the beginning of class. She doesn't say anything until the bell rings, but when it does and Max starts packing her bag, Kate touches Max's arm and asks, "Is everything okay?"

Max smiles, hoping it doesn't look too strained, and says, "Fine! I just...I had one of those mornings, you know? And I guess being back in Arcadia Bay caught up with me. Among other things..." Max glances unconsciously at Victoria's seat, expecting her to be gone.

But she isn't. She's glaring at Max...no, _past_ Max, at Kate. When she realises Max is looking her way, Victoria starts, her cheeks colouring, and quickly grabs her bag and flees the classroom.

"Uh, sorry, Kate! What did you say?"

Kate smiles, but there's a hint of concern in her eyes. "I was just saying, my door's always open Max. If you need to talk. Or maybe we could go for tea some time? If you still want to try that..."

Max smiles, her body relaxing for the first time today. "I'd love to. Thanks, Kate. Uh...what about tomorrow? After class?"

"Okay! I'm looking forward to it!"

Kate beams at Max, and if Max doesn't think she's done much to warrant Kate's enthusiasm, it's impossible not to be warmed by it. Besides, Max knows how hard it can be to be the new girl with no friends. If she can help Kate feel less lonely, she's only too glad.

As they gather their things, Max thinks about how strange her day has been so far, which mostly amounts to thinking about Victoria's unlikely advice and odd behaviour. Which...maybe isn't quite so odd, once Max stops thinking about her own problems long enough to just...think.

Max bites her lip, and decides to take chance. "Hey, Kate? Would it be okay if I invited someone else to tea?"

"Of course, Max!" Kate beams at her. "I'm happy to meet any friend of yours!"

Max thinks about who currently counts as her friends. "Oh, uh! You're braver than me, Kate! But...well, I hope you two will hit it off."

They part in the corridor, Kate waving cheerfully, and Max finally gets a chance to check her messages as she shuffles off to her next class.

* * *

Chloe's message turns out to be an invitation to lunch. Max meets Chloe at a café within walking distance of Blackwell. Or rather, she meets Chloe and her girlfriend, Steph Gingrich.

Max has heard some stories from Chloe and Rachel, but she's not at all prepared for Steph the DnD nerd to be a relaxed, confident, beanie-sporting brunette who offers Max a quick hug on being introduced.

"Well, well! The legendary Max Caulfield! It's nice to meet you."

And unlike so many other people Max has met so far, Steph sounds entirely sincere.

Max smiles shyly. "Well, uh...I'm not...but it's nice to meet you, too!"

Chloe grabs Max, pulling her into a less quick hug. "You're a legendary hipster nerd. I'm feeling outnumbered here. Steph is into... _board games_ , Max. And dice. And fucking musicals..."

Max gives Chloe a grateful squeeze before pulling away. "I seem to recall you being into Clue in a big way, Chloe. And isn't The Sound of Music your favourite movie?"

Chloe glares at Max. "When I was five, maybe!"

"Um...fourteen, actually? Although you started pretending it was Blade Run-"

Chloe elbows Max in the side and shoots a panicky look at Steph. "Oh, haha! Good joke, Max! What a kidder!"

Steph grins. "Careful with those pointy elbows, girl. Now go order lunch. Max doesn't have much time and she has so much to tell me! I mean, to talk about! With both of us!"

"But...why do I...? You can't question her without me..." Chloe slowly reddens. She bites her lip, looking at Steph, then blurts, "Max! Pirate promises are still a binding seal! Breaking them still incurs pirate vengeance!"

Chloe stomps off to the counter, pulling her beanie down over her burning ears as Steph giggles.

Max shakes her head. "She...does what you tell her? You...you trained Chloe?"

"No! I mean, sometimes she's very...accommodating." Steph snorts. "But right now she's trying to be on her best behaviour for...well, for you."

"Oh." Max blinks. "Oh...Steph, I'm not...sure what to say."

Steph laughs, her expression softening. "Relax, Max. I'm not trying to put you on the spot or anything. Chloe and I have talked all this out. She was pretty freaked when she came back from Seattle. And I'm not saying you two might not have things to work out, but...right now, everything's good."

Max wonders. She knows how freaked _she_ was when Rachel brought Chloe to her door unannounced. And Chloe's had it rougher than Max over the years...though she did have Rachel, too...

It keeps coming back to Rachel. Rachel the friend who looks out for you, the...girlfriend, even. And the girl who can fuck you up because she gets bored. Max wrenches her thoughts away from Rachel, and her eyes fall on Chloe. Chloe's looking at them, smiling fondly. She gives Max a sheepish wave then turns so she can shuffle forward in the queue.

Steph asks, "Are you okay?"

Max looks at Steph, really looks at her, and realises that Steph is relaxed and happy and...real.

"Yeah. And...I'm glad you're there for her," Max says, softly. "I think you're really good for her...um, is it weird if I say thanks?"

Steph tilts her head, studying Max. She smiles. "I dunno. Let's try it!"

Max giggles, blushing. "Okay! Um, thanks Steph. For looking after Chloe."

"You're welcome, Max." Steph glances over her shoulder. "She looks after me, too, you know."

Max nods. "Yeah. I'll bet. She's...amazing that way."

Steph meets her eye again. She opens her mouth, hesitates then shrugs. "Let's sit." She nudges Max and guides her to their table. "You know...look, stop me if this isn't my place, but...Chloe had Rachel, too, Max. Has, I mean." Steph winces.

"Rachel...yeah. She's..."

"She's trying to do better, Max. And she got Chloe through...a really rough time."

Max rubs her brow wearily. "I know. I'm not...against Rachel, but..."

"She fucked up. She fucked _you_ up. I...don't know how I'd handle that."

"Really? Because you seem like you have it all pretty together..."

Steph pauses, considering. "I like Rachel. I...okay, confession? I crushed on her pretty hard for a while. But...I'm kinda glad we didn't date. That's mostly because I'm with Chloe now, but..." Steph shakes her head. "I still like Rachel. But I'd kick her ass before I even thought about forgiving her if she pulled something like that with me."

Max nods slowly, thinking over her conversation with Victoria this morning. "I'm not really...uh, an ass kicker. But...I've let her know how not okay I am with what she did and...maybe it's time to move past that. Maybe I've been so focused on...my hurt...she's not in the best place either, is she?"

Steph hesitates. "Well..."

"It's okay. I don't mean to pry. And...I know who I need to talk to, to find out." Max takes a deep breath. "And, Steph? I...I know I fucked up, too. I don't expect Chloe -- or you -- to just-"

"Max? Chloe's so stoked you're here, okay? I am, too."

Max looks up, meeting Steph's earnest expression. "You are?"

"I am. Because Chloe deserves all the friends she can get." Steph grins. "And because, well...Max. Care to tell me every embarrassing Chloe thing you can think of before she gets back with our food?"

Max laughs and, careful not to break the seal of any pirate promises, she does.

* * *

Max finds Rachel waiting for her after her last class of the day.

Rachel is leaning casually against the lockers, chatting amiably to Taylor Christensen.

Rachel's wearing shorts, tights, and a t-shirt under an oversized, unbuttoned plaid shirt that would look faintly ridiculous on anyone else. On Rachel, it merely serves to quicken Max's heart because, as far as Max's body is concerned, Amber always means go.

Rachel turns her head as Max approaches, then, spotting her, turns her whole body to face her, grinning and raising her hand in a gesture that is half wave, half salute and only avoids dorkiness by virtue of this being Rachel.

Max, blushing and half wishing she wasn't, says, "Hey. Sorry to keep you waiting. And hi, Taylor! How're things?"

Taylor smiles. "Oh...pretty good, thanks. But I need to go see someone who isn't Dana about something that may or may not be kissing. Later!"

Max gapes after her. "She's...that was..."

Rachel pushes off the lockers, swaying towards Max. She checks herself before she might bump Max's shoulder. "We had a good talk," she says. "And I'm a snoop and you're a world famous detective, so there's not much point in her pretending anymore."

"I'm not a-"

"Details! You could be, if you wanted. Now...my place or yours?"

She asks the question with a smile, not a smirk, and she doesn't try to take Max's hand, though it looks like she wants to do just that.

Max smiles, shaking her head. "What do you want to do?"

"Dangerous question, Max! Short answer? Almost everything. But right now...I could finally show you my room?"

Max hesitates, thinking things over. "Would it be okay if I didn't want that?"

"Of course!" Rachel doesn't hesitate, though her smile dims.

"For how long?"

"What?" Rachel blinks. "Um...as long as you need?"

Max jumps when another student pushes past her. "Shit! Uh...let's walk to the dorms?"

"Okay..."

They head out into that hazy time where it could be late afternoon or early evening. Students head for the bus, the parking lot, the grass...there are people everywhere, and more than a few heads turn when Rachel walks down the steps at the front of the school. Max keeps pace alongside her, biting her lip and keeping her head down.

"So...what's going on, Max?" Rachel's voice is low, though her expression remains amiable for the benefit of the people around them.

Max wrings her hands. "I'm probably going to mess this up, so can you bear with me?"

Rachel pauses, facing her. "Yes," she says, simply. The lowering sun pours honey on her skin.

Max gulps. "You said that too fast."

Rachel slowly frowns. "I don't-"

"What do you want, Rachel? From me. I...is it just...atonement? Or...or...I don't know. I'm not...I don't like being on display. I don't...I don't...I'm not _fun_. I don't see why you'd...I don't want you to pretend. Or to...to _change_ because of...I'm-"

"Kind." Rachel takes a careful step closer, but not too close. "You're clever. You see the world differently than most people. You make me smile. An embarrassing amount, frankly. And what I want...is to hold your hand. Because you're shaking. I want to kiss you, because I think you're beautiful. And I want to be...uh, fuck it! I want us to be girlfriends. Because I like you, dummy. And...yeah...I want to be good enough. I don't want to fuck it up again."

Max lets out a shaky breath. "Well...um...you are good enough. Okay? Point one. And you did fuck up, and it...it really hurt, Rachel."

Rachel winces. She pushes her hair behind her ear and fiddles with her earring. "It wasn't supposed to get so...yeah. I know."

Max sighs. "But I can't hold that over you forever. And I don't want any more uncertainty. That's not fair to you."

Rachel nods, jerkily, her hand dropping. "So...that's it?"

Max nods and timidly takes Rachel's hand. "Yeah. I-I think so."

Rachel blinks and stares at their linked hands. "Oookay, so now I have to ask...which 'it' is it?"

Max laughs. "I... _we_ could both fuck this up, still. But...you want to try. And...I do, too. And I like holding hands, by the way. I'm, uh, not opposed to kissing? And...I trust you. Okay? You don't need to...I trust you. Um...but could we go, because people. Staring people..."

Rachel squeezes her hand and they resume their walk to the dorms. Rachel loosens her grip, but Max tightens hers. So Rachel smiles, and keeps her hand in Max's.

They make small talk as they go, which pretty much means Max mumbling responses as Rachel cheerfully fills Max in on her day and on the latest Blackwell gossip. When the dorms come into sight, and Rachel spots Victoria Chase sprawled on the front steps beside Courtney Wagner, Rachel lowers her voice.

"Oh, actually! This isn't gossip, so much as a developing situation to keep an eye on, but Victoria has _her_ eye on a certain new girl, and-"

"You mean Kate Marsh? Yeah, Victoria's...uh, well, she's not the subtlest..."

Rachel blinks, then laughs. "Okay, yeah. Of course you would notice. I do have a morbid curiosity as to what's going to happen there. And some sympathy for Kate..."

"Oh, hush. Victoria's...well, okay, she's Victoria, but...she's trying, Rachel."

Rachel smiles wryly. "I...see. Yeah, I can't argue with that..."

Max stops, facing her. "Hey. Not a dig. Just...Victoria was a good friend to me today. In...her own unique way."

Rachel slowly smiles. "I'd like to hear about that," she says softly. "If it's something you'd be okay telling me?"

Max smiles back as the last vestige of the morning's worry leaves her. "I'd be okay with that," she assures Rachel.

Max shakes herself. "Uh...you've reminded me, before we go inside, can we say hello to Victoria?"

Rachel sighs. "I'm not sure if I'm okay with _that_ , but...of course, Max."

Victoria looks them over and sniffs disdainfully. "You're blocking my light."

Rachel rolls her eyes. "That's probably just the shadow of your ego..."

"Um, Victoria?" Max offers her a smile. Victoria declines to return it. "Anyway! So, I was wondering if you'd like to go for tea tomorrow?"

Rachel blinks. Victoria blinks harder. Courtney skips blinking and bursts out laughing. "Victoria? And _you_? Just because Rachel's-"

"Oh, it's not about me!" Max quickly interjects, squeezing Rachel's hand to dissuade her from jumping Courtney. "I just wanted to make the new girl welcome. Kate Marsh? She's a bit shy, so I thought...maybe just the three of us?"

Victoria glares at Max, her face turning crimson. "I'll...consider it. If my calendar's free..."

Courtney frowns. "It absolutely is not! Tomorrow's the Vortex-"

Victoria transfers her glare to Courtney. "No, it isn't. That's this Friday."

Courtney shrinks. "Oh, haha! No, it's-"

"Friday." Victoria's voice becomes sweeter than an economy bag of Skittles. "See that everybody else has the right day, would you, cherie?"

Courtney opens her mouth, sighs, and meekly nods.

Victoria rolls her eyes. "I _suppose_ I _might_ take pity on you, Caulfield. For the new girl...Kitty was it?"

Max can practically _hear_ Rachel rolling her eyes, so she squeezes Rachel's hand again. She lifts their hands up an inch and says, "Thanks, Victoria."

Victoria glances at their linked hands and allows herself a brief sliver of a smile. "You're welcome. Now go away."

* * *

Rachel says nothing until they're inside the girls' dorms, whereupon she bursts out laughing. "Holy shit, Max! World class detective _and_ matchmaker, too? God, I'm glad I'm dating you!"

Max smiles. "Um, me too. Hey..."

"Yeah?" Rachel sweeps her hair behind her ears and focuses fully on Max.

Max's breath hitches. "Oh...just...there's no one else around now..."

Rachel grins. "Why...so there isn't."

She closes in on Max, reaching up and cupping her cheek. Max sighs out the last of the doubt that she's been holding onto since Rachel's last visit to Seattle. And if she can easily imagine more doubts and more problems on the horizon, Max finds herself blessedly free of any of them at the moment when their lips meet in the corridor.

When they part, Rachel looks as happy as Max feels. "So...we never decided...your place or mine?"

Max blushes. "Rachel! I'd like to take it slow-"

Rachel kisses her, just a quick peck of the lips. "I'm teasing. We're not going to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. Unless you're just being a wuss about, like, a rollercoaster or justifiable acts of larceny. In those cases, I'm going to _drag_ you out of your tiny little comfort zone. But, uh..." Rachel ducks her head. "You can maybe help me see when I'm not _totally_ justified in my larceny?"

"Okay...I can live with that." Max grins. "And...your place. Because I've been dying to find out what it looks like and my comfort zone is a perfectly healthy size, thank you."

"If it makes you comfortable to think that, then okay..."

So Max kisses her, just to get the smug look off her face, and while it doesn't entirely succeed in that aim, it's enough to shut Rachel up, at least until they make it into Rachel's room and behind a closed door.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading folks!
> 
> Extra special thanks to my partner in crime for pushing me to write this when I didn't trust that the ideas would go anywhere and for generally being supportive and extremely generous with her time and advice. This one would not even exist without [@Lola_McGee](https://alienbeegenders.tumblr.com), and would be much worse without her critiques, and that's just a fact.
> 
> If it's still less than great, that's entirely on me. That is also a fact.
> 
> But hey, that's up to you to decide and you can tell us in the comments! Please do that, comments contain many essential vitamins and nutrients.


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